A story-based RPG is nothing without a good ending, and while some may argue against it, Dying Light 2's ending is a solid emotional conclusion to a fairly straightforward post-apocalyptic tale. Although it may take players quite a while to reach the game's ending, with around 30 hours being the average time to finish the story, the long journey through Villedor is worth it. However, players do need to take the game's various choices into careful consideration.
The final outcome of Dying Light 2's story heavily relies on what choices the player has made during the game, with three key moments being the determining factor in which ending the player will receive. These three key factors are whether Hakon is alive or not, who is in control of the VNC Tower, and who players decide to save at the end of the game. These choices can lead to completely different conclusions.
Getting To Dying Light 2's Ending
Dying Light 2 comes to a conclusion in the secret X13 research facility, where Aiden and Mia were experimented on as children. Here, Aiden discovers that Mia is actually Waltz' daughter, and not his sister, and those experiments were done to try and save her from a devastating illness. As the player confronts Waltz, a security protocol is accidentally activated, arming some old GRE missiles.
Although Aiden manages to defeat Waltz, the missiles are still counting down, and are guaranteed to destroy the city if they are launched. Just as a dying Mia is about to give Aiden the key to disarm the missiles, Waltz reappears, tossing the key into a vat of acid.
Aiden radios Lawan, who is waiting nearby, telling her that the only way to stop the launch is by detonating the bombs manually. If Lawan detonates the bombs herself, then she'll certainly die, but if she doesn't make that sacrifice, then the city of Villedor will be destroyed.
Getting The "Good" Ending of Dying Light 2
To get what many consider to be the "good" ending in Dying Light 2, players will need to have kept Hakon alive, have given the VNC Tower over to Frank, and will need to choose to save Mia, and let Lawan detonate the missiles. Though it might not seem like the "best" thing to do, this does lead to the game's most hopeful ending.
Following the player's choice to let Lawan detonate the missiles manually, Aiden leaves the X13 facility with Mia and manages to exchange a few last words with her before she succumbs to her condition. Just before Lawan detonates the explosives, Hakon rescues her, and the two manage to escape the facility while also having destroyed the missiles.
In a brief epilogue, players can see that the city of Villedor has been saved, and that the Survivors are now creating their own form of democratic government. Rather than stay and help establish the new order, Aiden and Lawan decide to return to their life as Pilgrims, leaving the city behind for good. It isn't perfect, but it's certainly the game's most hopeful ending, with most of the main characters alive and going on to help the new world in their own ways.
Getting The "Bad" Ending of Dying Light 2
If players are looking to get the game's "bad" ending, or are looking to avoid it, then the following choices need to be made: Hakon needs to have died by this point, the VNC Tower needs to have been given over to the Peacekeepers (either Juan or Jack Matt), and the player needs to decide to save Lawan. Making these choices should lead to the game's bleakest ending.
Rather than escaping the facility with Mia, Aiden instead chooses to rush to Lawan's aid. Unfortunately, as Aiden gets to the silos, his infection takes over, and he attacks Lawan in an uncontrollable rage. After the infection dies down again, and Aiden regains control, the two make their way out of the Dying Light 2 facility, though the missiles are launched, and the city is destroyed. As the city burns, Lawan dies from the wounds Aiden gave her.
In the epilogue, players see that the Peacekeepers have taken control of the city, or what's left of it, and use their brutal nature to keep the remaining citizens subdued. Aiden, with no reason to stay in the ruined Villedor, leaves the city alone.
Other Variations On Dying Light 2's Ending
While these "good" and "bad" endings, depending on how a player views them, are the two definitive endings of the game, each one can have slightly different versions based on the choices that the player has made throughout the game. Though the endings do largely result in the same outcome, there can be slight alterations to each segment of the game's final sequence.
For instance, if the player has kept Hakon alive, but has given the Tower to the Peacekeepers rather than Frank, then the ending will be slightly different, as will be the case if Hakon is dead and the Tower is given over to Frank. There are apparently a total of eight endings in Dying Light 2, based on the different combinations of choices that the player can make during the game.
One of the more interesting endings of the game sees Hakon join Aiden in the epilogue, as opposed to Lawan. Players can achieve this ending by keeping Hakon alive, but also choosing to save Lawan in the final moments of the game. This leads to the city being destroyed by the missiles, Lawan shunning Aiden, and Hakon taking her place by his side as he leaves the city, which is a pretty satisfying ending for players who have enjoyed his company throughout the game.
Dying Light 2: Stay Human is available now for PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X/S.
